The UK’s biggest video-on-demand services will have to follow the same rules on content and accessibility as traditional broadcasters, under new legislation being implemented.
Streaming giants including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, and catch-up services like ITV X and Channel 4, are being brought under enhanced regulation by Ofcom.
This means they’ll have to follow the media watchdog’s rules around impartial news reporting, and harmful and offensive content.
The legislation will impact streaming services with more than 500,000 UK users, giving Ofcom the power to accept viewer complaints and investigate streaming platforms, as it currently does with broadcast television.
This will also apply to the public service broadcaster (PSB) video-on-demand (VoD) services, such as ITVX and Channel 4.
VoD services provided by the BBC, such as BBC iPlayer, will continue to be regulated under the Broadcasting Code via the BBC Framework Agreement, for now, but will later be brought under the VoD standards code.
Until now, only licensed television channels have had to comply with Ofcom’s broadcasting code and accessibility requirements, such as subtitles, meaning that many of the UK’s most popular streaming services were not regulated to the same standard. Some were not regulated in the UK at all.
Under the new rules, any video-on-demand platform with more than half a million users will automatically be designated a “Tier 1” service, bringing them under a new VoD standards code, which will be similar to the Broadcasting Code followed by traditional broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV and Sky News.
The new legislation aims to ensure that news is reported accurately and impartially and audiences – particularly children – are protected against “harmful or offensive” material.
Audiences will be able to complain to Ofcom and, if it considers there has been a breach of the code, it will have the power to take action.
Culture Secretary…
